Workshop to explore the field of voice-over

Have you ever been complimented on your voice, or told you should be on the radio or in commercials?

If the idea of using the sound of your voice to make money interests you, then you might want to consider attending “Getting Paid to Talk,” a program that will be held at Perkiomen Valley High School on Oct. 16.

The 6:30 p.m.workshop is being offered in conjunction with Voice Coaches (www.voicecoaches.com), an Albany, N.Y.-based firm described by its president and creative director, David Bourgeois, as “a large-scale professional production facility, so we work on professional audio and audio post-production for everything from commercials” to film and television documentaries, training materials, audio books and videogames.

“On the other side of things,” Bourgeois said, “we do professional communication training, and we also work with aspiring voice actors.” He added that his company has “been involved in communications training and working with voice actors, at this point, for more than 15 years.”

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The upcoming program at Perkiomen Valley was “designed as an upbeat, realistic introduction to the field of voice-over,” Bourgeois explained.

“We’re delighted to have anybody come out to the class,” he added. “I think it’s very appropriate for people who are just curious, and, for people who are actually thinking about the field of voice-over, this will give them a good idea of what the field really is, and what the field isn’t.”

The presentation will be in a lecture-style format, with opportunities for questions from the audience, Bourgeois said.

He noted that one of the topics in the class will be an explanation of what voice-over actually is.

“One of the first things people think of when they hear the word ‘voice-over’ is commercials. But commercial voice-over work only makes up about 10 percent of the available work in our field,” Bourgeois said.

According to him, “90 percent of the opportunity” is in the area of “narrative voice-over work,” defined by him as anything “that doesn’t directly promote a product or service.” Bourgeois mentioned examples such as audio books; training and educational materials; “documentary, historical, biographical and travel-type” materials for television; videogames; and “fixed-installation voice-overs” for locations such as planetariums, museums, theme parks or historical sites.

The program will also touch on the pros and cons of voice-over work, Bourgeois said.

One of the field’s appealing features, he commented, was that “voice actors generally have a very flexible schedule.”

Bourgeois pointed out that voice acting provided opportunities for full-time or part-time work, or a way to earn supplemental income.

“Today, particularly with the economy, what I do hear from a lot of people actually going into the field is they’re looking for a way to take control of part of their income — not necessarily quit their day job, but they want something that I guess that they can’t be fired from,” he added.

Bourgeois referred to a 2009 article on www.cnn.com finding that voice actors on average earned $47,000 per year.

But it is a mistake to think of voice acting as something to “break into,” he said.

“That’s a very misleading and improper way to look at our field,” he added. Voice actors are business professionals providing a service, Bourgeois said. The best way to do well in the field, according to him, is “to set some goals and develop some steps to help you achieve” them. Perseverance is an important characteristic, Bourgeois added.

He said a good first step for someone interested in voice-over work would be to learn about the field. That’s where a class like the one coming up at Perkiomen Valley can come in handy, said Bourgeois.

Professional skill development is also essential, he added. Bourgeois said his personal approach to working with an aspiring voice actor was to begin with a speech evaluation to make sure there were no vocal health problems or other issues that would inhibit career success. After that, his team typically works with a client over a period of three to five months to prepare for their voice-over demo.

“The main thrust of education today in voice acting is teaching people how to present written material …in a manner that sounds believable and sincere. That very much contradicts what we did 20 years ago,” Bourgeois said. “Today, it’s more challenging. You have to read like you’re talking. Today, sincerity and believability is the name of the game.”

In addition to touching on the kind of voice acting style in demand today, the program will address how to find work, as well as the impact of technology, which has made it easier to operate from home.

“So, the world becomes your oyster, to some degree, as a voice actor,” Bourgeois said. “To me, as somebody who casts voice actors, I don’t just have to look at my local area anymore. So, there’s never been more opportunity in that regard.”

Additionally, Bourgeois said, the program will include information about the “demo process, how to put together an effective demo, what skills you need to have before you should even begin to think about putting together a demo, and we’ll talk about some dos and don’ts.” A couple of professional demos are typically played as part of the presentation, he added.

Everyone in the class would also get the opportunity to make a sample recording under the direction of the teacher, Bourgeois said.

“It’s fun for everybody,” he added.

For more information about “Getting Paid to Talk,” contact Perkiomen Valley School District at 610-489-8506. Registration is required at least a week before the program. Enrollment is limited to 25 people, and the class fee is $40.